Earl

[Witzend]

000 WTNT42 KNHC 012051 TCDAT2 HURRICANE EARL DISCUSSION NUMBER 30 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072010 500 PM EDT WED SEP 01 2010
SATELLITE AND RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT FIXES INDICATE THAT EARL HAS BEEN MOVING RELENTLESSLY TOWARD THE NORTHWEST OR 310 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. THE HURRICANE IS ABOUT TO REACH THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE AND SHOULD BEGIN TO TURN MORE TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND NORTH LATER TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. IN ABOUT 36 HOURS OR SO...THE HURRICANE WILL ENCOUNTER THE BASE OF THE MID-LATITUDE WESTERLIES AND SHOULD BEGIN TO RECURVE OR TURN TO THE NORTHEAST WITH AN INCREASING FORWARD SPEED. THIS IS THE SOLUTION CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED BY TRACK MODELS...WHICH HAVE EARL PASSING TO THE EAST BUT NOT FAR FROM THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA ON THURSDAY NIGHT. ONLY A SMALL WESTWARD DEVIATION OF THE TRACK TO THE WEST WOULD BRING THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE TO THE COAST.

OBX beware

 

[spadaforaj]

was planning on picking up our Hunter 33 in Chesapeak City, VA on Friday, heading down the Dismal Swamp on Saturday to E City, NC and cross the Ablemarle Sound on Sunday - winds might be from astern for once - any thoughts/suggestions ? I'm hoping that Earl will be up North by then and this rote/timing ok - suggestions appreciated

 

[Ross]

was planning on picking up our Hunter 33 in Chesapeak City, VA on Friday, heading down the Dismal Swamp on Saturday to E City, NC and cross the Ablemarle Sound on Sunday - winds might be from astern for once - any thoughts/suggestions ? I'm hoping that Earl will be up North by then and this rote/timing ok - suggestions appreciated

Wait until Saturday to leave.

 

[Maine Sail]

Looks like we'll need to take a cruise detour and find a hurricane hole with good holding or a well protected mooring. I hate to push all the way home for Friday but I would rather be on my own storm mooring if we are going to see 40+..

Sitting in Port Clyde, ME right now figuring if we hunker down in Robinhood or Great Island or just push on home to our own mooring?? I know Tim R. is in Tenants Harbor tonight, which is just around the other side of the peninsula, and my buddy Chris is also here in Port Clyde.

Thinking we'll at least get around Small Point by Thursday and ride it out in Quahog, the Basin or push for home..

Damn storms, wrecking a perfectly good cruise..

 

[Ed Schenck]

Hey "Spada", I think I would tie up at the visitor center in the Dismal Swamp canal until Earl was well north. Stay away from any big water.

 

[Winkfish]

Whatever you do, do it sooner rather than later.

 

[Ross]

The 11 o'clock report seems to indicate that we dodge the bullet this time. BUT we an't out of the woods yet !

 

[Rick486]

Looks like we'll need to take a cruise detour and find a hurricane hole with good holding or a well protected mooring. I hate to push all the way home for Friday but I would rather be on my own storm mooring if we are going to see 40+..

Sitting in Port Clyde, ME right now figuring if we hunker down in Robinhood or Great Island or just push on home to our own mooring?? I know Tim R. is in Tenants Harbor tonight, which is just around the other side of the peninsula, and my buddy Chris is also here in Port Clyde.

Thinking we'll at least get around Small Point by Thursday and ride it out in Quahog, the Basin or push for home..

Damn storms, wrecking a perfectly good cruise..

Recommend trying for a slip tie up if you are in R'hood. The wind can really funnel down that long bay and the surface can work up pretty lively in there. Boothbay Carousel would be good for E and NE, then hop over to the West side for the W and NW. Been there, done that.

 

[Ron20324]

A dozen fellow sailors are here in Bethany Beach, on the Atlantic coast of Delaware, since the August winds on the Chesapeake Bay can be non-existant. The Earl winds are only expected to be 35 on Friday. HA- we scoff at meer 'puffs'.

 

[BobM]

Scary thought

Bob,

Just curious: what kind of preparations do you see going on aboard the crazy pirate ship tied up at the town dock? Do you think she can ride out the storm there without taking down the dock or is there any risk of her skating across the harbor taking out boats as she goes?

Good luck. Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Even if the forecasts change, I'm going to use this as a dry run for the big one, scout out a few hurricane holes, and practice deploying my three anchor system and all my chain. Just bought another 60 bucks worth of shackles and am loading all my spare line in the car to take down to the boat.

I haven't been out to the boat yet, but will go this afternoon. At this point WYC still hasn't decided whether to empty the docks and make everyone take to their moorings. That pirate ship is a hoot...I hope its ground tackle is better than its carpentry as there isn't a mooring in the field big enough for it.

 

[Ross]

Re: Scary thought

At 2:45 the outer bands of high thin clouds from Earl are about half way across the sky in Bel Air. I expect that I will just get to see this one on the news and otherwise not be aware of it.

 

[Mulf]

Ross, I hope you are right, and I did my share to ensure it.

Because the forecasters couldn't decide when Earl was going to make that eastward turn, I spent today doubling my lines, furling the jib tight and wrapping the sheets around it, winding in my furling main until it almost disappeared, removed the dinghy from the foredeck and deflated it and stored it inside, removed dodger and bimini canvas and everything else loose outside. That should ensure all of us on the northern Chesapeake we don't get anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Gary_H]

Looks like Earl is passing me by. Good luck to you guys up Nawth!